Sorry Rachel, Gavin, Bernie and all the opposite liberal pundits and progressive Democrats who’ve been excoriating the eight senators who reduce a cope with Republicans to finish the federal government shutdown — sorry, however you might be mistaken.
What precisely was the tip sport you had in thoughts? Did you actually suppose Republicans who barely care if the federal government operates in any respect would lastly capitulate and restore the well being care advantages that Democrats had been preventing to protect? Did you suppose the Decorator-in-Chief who’s busy transforming the White Home within the picture of a chintzy Versailles would abruptly care concerning the plight of poor individuals and develop a coronary heart?
Sure, Democrats swept just about each election from governors’ races to highschool boards all throughout the nation final week, however these victories didn’t come as a result of Democrats had been manning the well being care ramparts. It got here as a result of a motivated majority of voters are repulsed by President Donald Trump and his abuses of energy, and that disgust spilled over into native politics all over the place.
Certain, in response to polls, extra voters blamed the GOP for the federal government shutdown, however polls can shift shortly. Constructive polls aren’t any assure of something; ask Hillary Clinton.
In fact, the Senate Democratic caucus defectors did their colleagues a big favor. The shutdown was starting to do severe hurt to federal staff who had been being fired or pressured to work with out a paycheck, and to recipients of important advantages that allow them to purchase meals for his or her households. That ache was solely going to unfold to many different Individuals, and a number of the blame would have begun to fall on Democrats, too.
For political achieve, the shutdown had gone on lengthy sufficient. From a weak place because the minority caucuses in Congress, the Democrats efficiently introduced the well being care disaster to the forefront in a distracted society the place it’s arduous to get anybody’s consideration. They put Republicans on the defensive and, now, votes are lined up that may put GOP senators and representatives within the crosshairs on the well being care challenge — a problem that isn’t going to vanish simply because the federal government has reopened.
Uncooked politics would dictate that having the ability to proceed pinning the blame for drastic hikes in well being care premiums on Republicans as we roll into an election yr is a giant plus for Democrats. Certain, in a super world the place advantage triumphs, it will be a finer factor if the D’s might have made the R’s do their bidding, however, guess what? That was by no means going to occur.
Democrats made their level. The shutdown wanted to finish. The timing was proper. Eight senators who will not be up for reelection subsequent yr are taking the blame, however, arguably, they need to be getting our thanks as an alternative.
See extra of David Horsey’s cartoons at: st.news/davidhorsey
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